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Modernity and diversity: reflections on the controversy between modernization theory and multiple modernists
Volker H. Schmidt Social Science Information 2010 49: 511 DOI: 10.1177/0539018410376882 The online version of this article can be found at: http://ssi.sagepub.com/content/49/4/511
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Maison des Sciences de l 'Homme
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Theory and methods Théorie et méthodes Volker H. Schmidt
Modernity and diversity: reflections on the controversy between modernization theory and multiple modernists
Abstract. The article revisits modernization theory’s convergence claim, which has been strongly criticized by multiple modernists, who maintain that emerging realities have not borne out its underlying premises. Based on a thorough reading of classical texts, the article reconstructs the term’s meaning within a modernization-theoretical frame of reference and then considers the evidence that multiple modernists hold against it. It finds that none of the observations cited by leading multiple modernists are able to challenge modernization theory, which can easily accommodate the kinds of difference invoked by its critics. East-Asian modernity in particular, to which both sides assign special weight for any test of modernization theory, appears remarkably similar to Western modernity when viewed through the lenses of this theory. At the same time, the literature on multiple modernities, despite
Modernity and diversity: reflections on the controversy between modernization theory and multiple modernists
Volker H. Schmidt Social Science Information 2010 49: 511 DOI: 10.1177/0539018410376882 The online version of this article can be found at: http://ssi.sagepub.com/content/49/4/511
Published by: http://www.sagepublications.com On behalf of:
Maison des Sciences de l 'Homme
Additional services and information for Social Science Information can be found at: Email Alerts: http://ssi.sagepub.com/cgi/alerts Subscriptions: http://ssi.sagepub.com/subscriptions Reprints: http://www.sagepub.com/journalsReprints.nav Permissions: http://www.sagepub.com/journalsPermissions.nav Citations: http://ssi.sagepub.com/content/49/4/511.refs.html
>> Version of Record - Dec 1, 2010 What is This?
Downloaded from ssi.sagepub.com by guest on May 7, 2013
Theory and methods Théorie et méthodes Volker H. Schmidt
Modernity and diversity: reflections on the controversy between modernization theory and multiple modernists
Abstract. The article revisits modernization theory’s convergence claim, which has been strongly criticized by multiple modernists, who maintain that emerging realities have not borne out its underlying premises. Based on a thorough reading of classical texts, the article reconstructs the term’s meaning within a modernization-theoretical frame of reference and then considers the evidence that multiple modernists hold against it. It finds that none of the observations cited by leading multiple modernists are able to challenge modernization theory, which can easily accommodate the kinds of difference invoked by its critics. East-Asian modernity in particular, to which both sides assign special weight for any test of modernization theory, appears remarkably similar to Western modernity when viewed through the lenses of this theory. At the same time, the literature on multiple modernities, despite
Citations: http://ssi.sagepub.com/content/49/4/511.refs.html >> Version of Record - Dec 1, 2010 What is This? Downloaded from ssi.sagepub.com by guest on May 7, 2013 Theory and methods Théorie et méthodes Volker H Downloaded from ssi.sagepub.com by guest on May 7, 2013 Schmidt Downloaded from ssi.sagepub.com by guest on May 7, 2013 514 Downloaded from ssi.sagepub.com by guest on May 7, 2013 Schmidt Downloaded from ssi.sagepub.com by guest on May 7, 2013 516 Downloaded from ssi.sagepub.com by guest on May 7, 2013 Schmidt Downloaded from ssi.sagepub.com by guest on May 7, 2013